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Apple TV App Store Gains Categories Section for Better App Discovery

Wednesday November 4, 2015 12:39 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple appears to have updated the tvOS App Store to add a new Categories section, which should make it easier for new Apple TV owners to discover apps on their devices. Like the iOS App Store, the new Categories section arranges apps into different sections based on purpose, like Games and Entertainment.

First noted by iDownloadBlog on an Apple TV running the new 9.1 tvOS beta, the new Categories section appears to be rolling out to Apple TV users now. We were able to get the Categories feature to show up on an Apple TV running tvOS 9.0 following several device restarts.

apple_tv_categories_720
Shortly after the Apple TV was released, there were multiple complaints about the state of the tvOS App Store. At launch, the App Store displayed only a list of featured apps, leaving the rest to be discovered through searches. Apple has been improving the tvOS App Store over the past few days, with the Categories section joining a Top Charts section that was added to the App Store on Monday.

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Apps that are displayed when selecting the "Entertainment" category

Game and app developers were previously concerned with app discovery on tvOS when the App Store was limited to featured apps, but the inclusion of the Top Charts and the Categories section will go a long way towards bolstering the discovery process.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12
Tags: App Store, tvOS, Apple TV Guide
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)
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OldSchoolMacGuy
45 months ago
Just as I said, categories will come as soon as there are enough apps to fill them out and not make them look empty.

People need to learn to be a little patient and not cry like little girls at the drop of a hat.
Rating: 23 Votes
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Kaibelf
45 months ago
Took all of 6 days. Now will people still complain about how it's "unacceptable" that Apple didn't set up a series of empty shelves and therefore made it a little harder for them to cash in with their fireplace app? Or maybe we can listen to more complaints about how devs were forced to take time away from their families for their noble cause, and how Apple should think of the children? Oh and AS PREDICTED, it's done on their side, so those same people should maybe apologize for LYING and claiming that Apple was "screwing them" by making them wait for a tvOS update.
Rating: 20 Votes
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macfoxpro
45 months ago

It is very frustrating! I too don't have either of the new options found the in the Apple TV App Store, and I have just restart the entire machine too. This sucks!


It sounds as if all is lost.
Then again, it could change later tonight or tomorrow.
Your pain must be immense and the struggle seems overwhelming.
Good luck, and remember to always hold your head high, as you will get through this someday soon.
We're all here for you.
Rating: 13 Votes
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HoosBruce
45 months ago
Knew it wouldn't take long. More additions coming, and the product will continue to get better and better
Rating: 10 Votes
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69Mustang
45 months ago

Just as I said, categories will come as soon as there are enough apps to fill them out and not make them look empty.

People need to learn to be a little patient and not cry like little girls at the drop of a hat.


Isn't the app number still relatively the same? Was there a huge influx in the past couple of days? Serious question b/c I have no idea.

Took all of 6 days. Now will people still complain about how it's "unacceptable" that Apple didn't set up a series of empty shelves and therefore made it a little harder for them to cash in with their fireplace app? Or maybe we can listen to more complaints about how devs were forced to take time away from their families for their noble cause, and how Apple should think of the children? Oh and AS PREDICTED, it's done on their side, so those same people should maybe apologize for LYING and claiming that Apple was "screwing them" by making them wait for a tvOS update.


Couldn't Apple have easily avoided the entire problem by having the app store fully fleshed out when the ATV went on sale? The number of apps hasn't increased exponentially. A bit disingenuous of you to claim "empty shelves". The app store had over 1000 apps. Hardly empty. It's pretty obvious the UI omissions should have been there when the ATV was released. A big part of the reason people like Apple is their attention to detail. That app store at release lacked detail.

To me it seems like Apple could have followed the old adage "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
Then we would have had to find something else to b***ch about.;) But at least it wouldn't have been about an unfinished app store UI.
Rating: 8 Votes
Avatar
SteveJobs2.0
45 months ago

Took all of 6 days. Now will people still complain about how it's "unacceptable" that Apple didn't set up a series of empty shelves and therefore made it a little harder for them to cash in with their fireplace app? Or maybe we can listen to more complaints about how devs were forced to take time away from their families for their noble cause, and how Apple should think of the children? Oh and AS PREDICTED, it's done on their side, so those same people should maybe apologize for LYING and claiming that Apple was "screwing them" by making them wait for a tvOS update.


Actually, it's the complaints that often keeps companies improving and innovating. If the people don't care about enjoying a better experience, then why should the companies care? :/
Rating: 8 Votes
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busyscott
45 months ago
Seems like they probably had this planned from the beginning. I mean, you can't really have top charts when you're opening a brand new store.
Rating: 7 Votes
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jpgr15
45 months ago

Seems like they probably had this planned from the beginning. I mean, you can't really have top charts when you're opening a brand new store.


Sorry [USER=994315]@busyscott[/USER], no common sense allowed here
Rating: 6 Votes
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Jeaz
45 months ago
Great addition, but a bit odd that it wasn't there from the start.

The whole app store experience feels a bit unfinished. There's no easy way to find Apple TV apps in iTunes either.
Rating: 6 Votes
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ck2875
45 months ago
It's nice that this can all be updated on the backend without software updates.

Took all of 6 days. Now will people still complain about how it's "unacceptable" that Apple didn't set up a series of empty shelves and therefore made it a little harder for them to cash in with their fireplace app? Or maybe we can listen to more complaints about how devs were forced to take time away from their families for their noble cause, and how Apple should think of the children?


I personally like the ~15 versions of 2048
Rating: 5 Votes

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